Playing by the Rules

1. Playing by the Rules

I first got my vision of Bella when Edward told me he was in love with her. I remember that day so vividly, mostly because of how shocked I was. I didn’t know Bella at all then, so I guess I kind of acted like Rosalie for a while. Stubborn, angry, and cynical. I honestly believed that Edward was only deluding himself; thinking he was in love with this girl, when really he only loved her blood. I can’t believe I doubted him that much. Of everyone in our family, I could say he’s the wisest, besides Carlisle. So anyway, that night, while I was supposed to be “sleeping” I guess, I heard him whisper her name. It was so simple, so pure. I had never heard him say anything like that before. And then it came at me like a freight train. I saw Bella, but it wasn’t the Bella I knew. She was pale. Or paler than usual, I should say. Her hair shined more. She just, looked different. Like her bone structure was different. Whatever the case, she was absolutely beautiful. Then I noticed the setting. She was in our living room, sitting at the piano with Edward. They were sitting so close; I thought for sure he would devour her in a second. And then, it all came together. Bella was one of us. Or she would be later. I watched the scene a little longer. The rest of the family entered the room and we talked about anything and everything we wanted. It was just like things are now, just with the addition of Bella to our family. It was… beautiful.

As I pulled myself out of the dream, I heard Edward say her name again, turning it over on his tongue, testing the weight of one little word. I was the only one who knew how heavy that weight was. He muttered to himself a little and then was silent. I pressed my ear to the wall, eager to hear more. I’m nosy, I know, but I couldn’t help myself that time. If you had known Edward as well as me and heard him that night, you would understand. In a moment though, he was at my doorway, with the strangest look on his face. It was a face of mixed horror and suspicion. Sometimes I forget that he can read minds. I wasn’t even intending to tell him, but I guess my thoughts were so probing and curious that they caught his attention. I sent the full picture to him. His talent is a bit of a relief. We didn’t have to talk about it. Right then, words were too hard to form, too heavy and cold against the situation we faced. When I was done, he just nodded, his face set in stone. He walked down the hall slowly and shut the door to his room. I heard him cry for her. Cry for her future, her pain as well as his own. It was heart wrenching to hear my own brother grieve so. As the night went on, I saw it less as a horror and more as a blessing. Bella’s fate would be good for Edward. He wouldn’t have to risk her life every time he was near her. I was sure we would love each other like sisters- how couldn’t we? She was the true love of someone I cared deeply about.

My only concern was Edward. He would fight this as long as he could. He would think it wouldn’t be right to make her suffer. As I lay back on my bed, I wondered what course of action he would take. She already knew what we were and she said she didn’t care. Would he ignore her, pretend it never happened? Would he involve himself, but allow them to be nothing more than friends? I thought I should have just changed her the next day, just to make sure he didn’t get in the way, but I knew that would never work. He would be furious with me, and besides, he would know my plan before I even left the house. It was just a wait and see thing, I guessed. I thought for I moment that I could take a peek at the next day, just to know but… that seemed like cheating. Maybe for once, just once, I would play by the rules. So I laid down my head, and pretended to sleep.